Bag reflectors

Was all set to tackle removing fairing badges and bag reflectors last week. Started with the badges, and holy moley, are those puppies glued on there good! Used a heat gun and floss to get the edge up, then grabbed the corner with a needle nosed pliers. Pulled slowly while applying heat. Badge pulled apart a couple times on each side, but finally got them. That adhesive is very resistant to Goof Off, but finally got the residue off.

On to the bags! Good Lord! Putting heat on these and trying to get some floss started under the reflector is NOT going well. I gave up and thought that I will just live with them. Had a couple drinks tonight and thought, I can get those damn reflectors off there! I had been reading up on different approaches to this on the forum, and though I would start with heat. Long story short (ha!) I ended up using an auto body putty spreader, and worked it between the reflector and the bag a little. Squirt a little goof off in the small gap. and keep working the body filler spreader. The second bag went better, and it only took me about 5 minutes to get the reflector off.

Got the idea from another forum member here, and seems like this is the easiest approach. I think the best combination is the type of plastic spatula to use. This was a rubbery blue body filler spreader that I happen to have lying around. Anyway, the result in person is more dramatic that the pictures show! So here is another one

Puuuuuuuuurty!!

Too bad you had such a hard time removing Yamaha trinkets. For those who are yet to take this action, here are a couple tips. Fairing badges; take a plastic putty knife or spatula and carefully pry up the end. Spray silicone spray into the gap and continue to move, pry and spray until it is removed. Do not apply heat. It only makes the adhesive more effective. Bag reflectors; Same procedure. No heat. That is how I removed them and it took much less that 5 minutes per item. Using this method, there was no adhesive residue on the paint. Took some good auto wax and the surface looks like a mirror.

Yea, it's like every other DIY project I have done. By the time you get done with the project, you know what your doing! That's why this forum (and others for that matter) are so nice to have. If you research enough and can weed out the BS from good tips, it makes any job easier!

Sorry you had such trouble... Living in the desert, my just fell off one day. The right one fell off sitting in the parking lot at work, and the left one came off with an easy twist.

Nice clean look! I need mine on though since I commute at night and believe in every advantage to be seen better.

RavFJR said:

Sorry you had such trouble... Living in the desert, my just fell off one day. The right one fell off sitting in the parking lot at work, and the left one came off with an easy twist.

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Hope you didn't want those left on!

900gc, check out Allen_C's solution for replacing those big ugly reflectors!

Bogus said:

900gc, check out Allen_C's solution for replacing those big ugly reflectors!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGdMwOE4PKs#t=33

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Here's the thread of what I did: https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php/topic/155747-2014es-side-cases-moddedfarkled/

Allen_C said:

RavFJR said:

Sorry you had such trouble... Living in the desert, my just fell off one day. The right one fell off sitting in the parking lot at work, and the left one came off with an easy twist.

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Hope you didn't want those left on!

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The bags look better with 'em off...but either way is fine.

Thanks for the helpful info on removing the bag reflectors. I was worried that they were bolted on. Now that I know they're only stuck on, I can use the tips here to remove them. The side bag decals from RealTimeIndustries.com look like a clean solution to visibility. Even a strip of this material somewhere on the bag would show up just as well as the stock reflectors. I'm sure Yamaha is required to stick those on to meet safety regulations.

Any pics of fairings free of 1300 badges?

Bill Lumberg said:

Any pics of fairings free of 1300 badges?

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Allan_C really has his sh** together. That is pretty much what I have done. Tell us about the red stripe on the wheels. Not for aesthetics but for function,I have the FZ1 mirrors. Nice work Allan_C!! Riding with no gloves???

art miller said:

Allan_C really has his sh** together. That is pretty much what I have done. Tell us about the red stripe on the wheels. Not for aesthetics but for function,I have the FZ1 mirrors. Nice work Allan_C!! Riding with no gloves???

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I always ride with gloves, at least over the past 18 months. As for the red tape, got the reflective tape off of eBay for $10. It is the pre-curved pieces that come 8 to an order. They glow when light hits then

In Australia the FJR comes standard sans those pesky reflectors...

AHAMAY said:

In Australia the FJR comes standard sans those pesky reflectors...

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And in the UK.

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Neither do we get the front reflectors.

In Australia we do get front reflectors - round, amber reflectors right next to both brake calipers.

I was going to remove the bag reflectors on my '14, but found the reflector works well as a "grab handle" when I go to set them up on the shelf for storage.

Another trick to remove badging is to use dental floss.